Kansas GOP rep says he won’t run for reelection

Rep. Jake LaTurner (R-Kan.) announced Thursday he will not run for reelection in November, adding himself to a growing list of members leaving Congress at the end of the term.

LaTurner, 36, said he is leaving the House to better focus on his family and young children. He said he will remain in office until the end of his term in January.

“The people of Kansas who elected me to serve in the United States House of Representatives have given me the professional honor of my life, but it is time to pursue other opportunities and have the benefit of spending more time with my family,” he wrote in a statement.

“Suzanne and I are the proud parents of four young children, and for us the busy schedule of serving in and running for Congress has taken a toll,” the second-term congressman continued. “The unrepeatable season of life we are in, where our kids are still young and at home, is something I want to be present for.”

Dozens of members, mostly Republicans, have chosen to leave Congress at the end of the term. Many of them cited dysfunction in the body, with little getting done between bitter fights over the Speakership and other issues.

Multiple members have also chosen to resign from office early, thinning an already slim GOP majority in the House. With the resignation of Rep. Ken Buck (R-Colo.) earlier this month and the expected resignation of Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-Wis.) Friday, the GOP has a one-vote margin in the House.

Gallagher, however, may choose to stay in the House for longer than previously announced to support a foreign aid package introduced this week, per a source familiar with the congressman.

LaTurner said the “current dysfunction” has been “distressing,” but it is not the reason he is leaving Congress. 

“It has become fashionable for some to fear for the future of this country and act as though the problems we face and the divisions that exist are insurmountable, but that is just not true,” he said.

He added that he will not pursue any office this year or any state office in the 2026 elections but did not rule out involvement in politics beyond that point.

“I am hopeful that in another season of life, with new experiences and perspective, I can contribute in some small way and advocate for the issues I care most about,” the lawmaker said.

LaTurner’s 2nd Congressional District covers central Kansas City and much of the east of the state. A solid red district, Republicans are expected to win the seat in November.